Bruce Mines zoning for small homes

Town of Bruce Mines, a single-tier municipality. Population 582 (2021 census).

Backyard suite

A separate home in the yard of a house: garden suite, laneway suite or coach house, including prefab, modular or container units used this way.

Allowed · Bruce Mines’s term: “additional residential unit in an accessory building”

An additional residential unit is permitted in a one-storey accessory building with a single detached, semi-detached or townhouse dwelling in the R1 and Rural zones (and with semi-detached and townhouse dwellings in the MR zone), up to 74 m². A garden suite (portable unit, which may be a mobile home) needs a site-specific temporary use by-law.

Where allowed: R1 (Residential Low Density), MR (semi-detached and row/townhouse only) and R (Rural) zones [1]
Maximum size: 74 m² [800 ft²] net floor area; one-storey building [1]
Minimum lot size: 550 m² [5,920.3 ft²] in R1 or MR; 1 ha [2.47 ac] in Rural zone [1]
Setbacks: Interior side yard at least 3 m [9.84 ft]; rear yard per zone [1]
Separation from house: At least 3 m [9.84 ft] from the main wall of the principal dwelling and other accessory buildings, or as the Building Code requires [1]
Parking: One space for the sole use of the additional unit's occupant [1]
Servicing: Must be adequately serviced by municipal or individual on-site water and sewage services; R1 zone development requires municipal services [1]
Temporary garden suite: Site-specific temporary use by-law (Planning Act s.39); max 74 m² [800 ft²], one storey, rear or interior side yard, 3 m setback; not allowed with an accessory-building additional unit or a guest cabin [1]

Ontario-wide rule

Ontario law stops municipalities from banning one residential unit in a building ancillary to a detached house, semi-detached house or rowhouse on a parcel of urban residential land, as long as the lot has no more than three units in total. Municipalities still set most other zoning rules, but provincial law limits parking requirements, minimum unit size, lot coverage and separation distances. These units are also exempt from development charges and parkland dedication. [2][3][4]

Tiny home on a foundation

A small house as the main home on its own lot. The key rule is any minimum dwelling size.

Allowed · Bruce Mines’s term: “single detached dwelling / tiny house”

The R1 zone sets no minimum dwelling floor area for single detached dwellings; the by-law defines a 'tiny house or small house' as 27.8–41.8 m² but lists it only in the parking table, not as a zone use. The Rural zone permits only existing residential uses.

Minimum dwelling size: None stated for single detached dwellings in the R1 zone [1]
Minimum lot size: R1: 550 m² [5,920.3 ft²], 18 m frontage, municipal sewer and water required [1]
Where allowed: New single detached dwellings in R1; the Rural (R) zone lists only 'an existing residential use' [1]

Ontario-wide rule

Ontario law sets no minimum total size for a house that is the main dwelling. The Building Code sets minimum room areas, so the smallest compliant dwelling is roughly 17.5 m² by the Province's own estimate. Municipalities may still set minimum floor areas for main dwellings in their zoning by-laws. The provincial ban on minimum sizes covers only additional residential units. [2][5][6][7][8][9][10]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

Living full-time in a tiny home on wheels or a park model home.

Allowed with limits · Bruce Mines’s term: “recreational vehicle / mobile home”

Recreational vehicles are defined as temporary or short-term accommodation and no zone lists them as a dwelling; mobile homes are permitted only as existing mobile homes in R1 and on twelve listed Laird Street lots, or as a garden suite under a temporary use by-law. There is no mobile home park zone.

Where allowed: Existing mobile homes in R1; mobile homes permitted on Laird Street lots 246, 247, 249, 250, 257, 258, 259, 316, 317, 318, 319 and 320 [1]
Temporary garden suite: A mobile home meeting the zone regulations may be a garden suite, subject to a site-specific temporary use by-law [1]

Ontario-wide rule

Ontario has no single rule for living full-time in a tiny home on wheels. A unit on wheels can count as a 'building' that needs a permit and must meet the Building Code once it stays in one place, is hooked up to services or is anchored. Park model trailers are recognized only as seasonal recreational buildings. Municipalities may allow a portable garden suite under a temporary-use by-law for up to 20 years, with extensions of up to 3 years each. [10][5][2][7][6]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

A small sleeping building with no kitchen, usually beside a cottage or house.

Allowed · Bruce Mines’s term: “guest cabin (sleep cabin)”

One guest cabin (sleeping accommodation, no cooking facilities) or one loft-above-a-garage is permitted per lot as an accessory use to a permitted dwelling, up to 50 m².

Number allowed: One guest cabin or one loft-above-a-garage per lot [1]
Maximum size: 50 m² [538.2 ft²] gross floor area [1]
Maximum height: 6 m [19.7 ft] for accessory buildings (R1 and Rural zones) [1]
Setbacks: At least 3 m [9.84 ft] from interior and rear lot lines [1]
Separation from house: At least 3 m [9.84 ft] from the main building [1]
Kitchen: No cooking facilities; sanitary facilities allowed [1]
Where allowed: Lots with a permitted dwelling in R1 and Rural zones; not on a lot with a garden suite [1]

Ontario-wide rule

Ontario law has no rule written specifically for bunkies or sleeping cabins. Whether one needs a building permit depends on the Building Code Act's definition of 'building' and the Code's shed exemption. That exemption covers only storage-use sheds, so it does not cover a structure used for sleeping. Municipal zoning rules for accessory buildings still apply. [7][5][2][11]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

PDF is linked from https://brucemines.ca/government/planning-and-development/ and contains By-law 2015-17 consolidated with amendments to July 19, 2021 (By-law 2021-19 appended). R1 additional zone regulation 6.3(2) refers to an additional unit 'in a single detached dwelling', while Section 4.1.2.4 and the definition include units in a detached accessory building; the answer follows 4.1.2.4. Section 4.1.2(1) says guest cabins are allowed 'in an R Zone'; the R1 and Rural use tables both list Accessory Residential Use (4.1.2).

Sources

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